[Gee4orce]

Just made the mistake of buying the 'Revenge of the Sith' game for XBox. Now, lets not make any bones about it - is a really shoddy game, involving zero skill and repetitive gameplay repetitive gameplay repetitive gameplay repetitive gameplay repetitive gameplay .........

But that's by-the-by. What's more concerning to a dyed-in-the-wool Star Wars fan is the snippets of Episode III that you get to see as you progress through the game. I'm afraid the signs are not good. Even after three attempts, it seems Lucas has failed to recapture the essence of Star Wars - in fact, it seems he's missed the point entirely.

The biggest disappointment so far is General Grievous (funny, that's the kind of injury that I'd like to inflict on whoever's idea this character was). He;s animated in a way that wouldn't convince a five year old, he moves around like a Thunderbirds puppet with it's strings in a knot. The battle droids are as camp as ever - there's one sequence where one bumps past Anakin with a 'oops- excuse me'. WTF ? Is Jar-Jar programming the battle droids now or something. ?


Oh dear. I really hope the film turns out better than it looks.

Oh, and as for the game - I'm trading it. I can't be bothered with any more hours of mindless button bashing to get past impossible-to-beat bosses after level after level or same-y lightsaber flailing.

[Randman]

Never judge a movie and video game of the same name. Never seen one that matches the other.

[Gee4orce]

my point was that I was talking about the movie clips that are included in the game. They are actual sequences from the film.

The game sucks, yeah. But that has no bearing on the film. Unfortunately, it seems that the film sucks too.

[sideus]

Rotten Tomatoes likes it.

[Gee4orce]

Um.....

[starman]

Everyone that I know that has seen it has loved it. You're always going to find a few people that don't like what most people do.

I have the game. The opening sequence is real cool. They did an amazing job with Grievous.

All I can say is, don't go see the movie. That's one more person that'll get in.

Mike

[strictlyplaid]

Oh geez. Though I like all three of them, people's fond childhood memories of the original three Star Wars episodes have puffed them up to a standard to which (1) no other modern film can ever meet, (2) they themselves can't, either. I went back and watched two of the original three films the other day (IV and VI.) You really think the acting is better, especially in IV? The characters seemed extremely stilted to me, and all of them seemed to be transfixed with constipationary looks on their face throughout IV. I'm not sure I ever took Mark Hamill seriously as... well, as anything, really. Certainly the special effects and lightsaber battles are no comparison. And the story arc is just as simple: Oedipal struggles, light vs. dark, etc. By this standard, I think what you've said about Ep III makes me think it'll be even better -- same story ideas, with better effects.

Let the flaming begin.

[Randman]

Plaid, you're quite young aren't you? What made the original Star Wars such as hit was that there was nothing else like it at the time. Science fiction movies were all but dead or dying at the point in time. Plus, it was before cable TV, before the Internet, before most video games so it stood out.
Yes, the acting was bad, yes the plots were rip-offs (homages) to other genres. But it was nevertheless revolutionary in that it re-jump started the science fiction genre.
As if the effects look dated today, think how they look back then? I still remember the wow factor when the Falcon went into hyperspace. That was revolutionary.

The last two movies had much better special effects but they were run-of-the-mill movies made in the same way Lucas made SW, only with special effects that let him do anything he wanted. Effects don't make a movie. They can help and they can hurt but in the long run, it's just eye candy.

That's why the original series resonates with so many people. And that's why the second set, no matter how well done or how many effects, will always come in second in so many people's hearts.

[Millennium]

But how were the game's graphics and the level of violence? I mean, this is an XBox game, so those should have been great, right?

[Gee4orce]

But it's not about the effects. Really. We are absolutely overwhelmed with FX these days and millions of things zipping around the screen do not a great movie make.

General Grievous - what a load of toss. It only exists to shift another kind of toy. He limps around , and has a nasty hacking cough, and wears a cloak that looks like it's been rendered with software that's 10 years old...seriously. It's just totally over-animated - he looks more like a puppet than anything else.

Here's an example of Original vs. New:

Original: In Ep V Luke confronts Vader. We see vader back lit in moody blues and reds, a menacing oppressive shadow. That sinister voice hisses out 'The Force is strong in you young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet!' with such hate and venom that you shudder. In this shot Vader doesn't move a muscle. Now that is a dramatic 'entrance'.

New: In Ep III Anakin and Obi Wan find Palpatine held 'captive' on the bridge. Before they can release him, Darth Sidious/Count Dooku enters on a higher level flanked by two battle droids. He then somersaults down to the lower level, in that comic not-quite-real-Jar-Jar-falling-over-kind-of-way. This is Christopher Lee - he's in his 70s. We're supposed to believe that he finds it necessary to somersault off the stairs, instead of, say, walking - or maybe just jumping.

It's just the little things like that. They just erode away at the feel of the film, and it ends up more like a kids cartoon than a film for adults in their 30s who grew up with these great movies.

That review I linked to made some very good points too, about plot consistency with the original trilogy. What about Leia's recollection of her mother ? The fact that Obi-Wan said that nobody had called him that since 'Oh, long before you were born' to Luke (mind you, he also said Darth killed Anakin, so we know he's a lying b*stard anyway). What about the sudden laxness of the Jedi code as Windu sets out to kill Palpatine, and Obi-Wan leaves Anakin to a torturous death ?

..and, if the ability of Obi-Wan and Yoda to become ghosts in the Force was really passed on by Qi-Gon Jin, then how the f*ck does Vader learn how to do it ? (plot spoiler: this whole 'eternal life' thing is the main motivation for Anakin to turn to the Dark Side, but it can only be achieved by one who is strictly light-side. So in the end, Vader has realises he's been deceived into becoming a Sith, and in the process destroyed what he sought to protect).

[Gee4orce]

Originally Posted by Millennium

But how were the game's graphics and the level of violence? I mean, this is an XBox game, so those should have been great, right?

Do I sense a did there ? Sarcasm leads to the Dark Side of the Force, young Millenium

Graphics are OK. It's the gameplay that makes a game. I've never said any different.

Now, if you want to see great Xbox graphics and violence, Doom3 is amazing

[ghporter]

Gee4orce, did you actually watch the sequence at the end of "Attack of the Clones" where Dooku fights Yoda? They BOTH bounced around like bunnies. There was a lot of "force power" movement from both of them-I just rewatched that segment to make sure.

And if a Jedi-or a Sith, is going to bounce from one place to another, why not do it stylishly?

In the additional materials with "Attack of the Clones" on DVD, Christopher Lee explains that he was doubled for the moving around parts of the fighting because, while his arms are still as fast as ever, his legs aren't. So Lucas decided that Dooku was powerful enough to use the Force to move all over the place. Fine. It's his character, he can make him what he wants.

And isn't Grevious supposed to look different? He's an alien/droid cyborg, so he should look different from everyone else, and move differently too.

I expect I will see the XBox game sooner or later; my son is bound to rent it at least. At that point I'll know more about what you're talking about, but from my perspective, it's much too early to judge.

[sideus]

All I know is I couldn't care less what people think about the new SW movies. I like them, they kick ass and I'm going to go see the new one when released. Get over it.

[gururafiki]

The new movie won't suck. Using a video game to gauge how well a movie is going to be does not make sense. The multiple reviews that claim the movie is awesome is just an example that it will be a big improvement over the past movies. And yes, there will be a few out there who think the movie sucks because it does not meet their idea of what Star Wars is about.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Gee4orce

This is Christopher Lee - he's in his 70s.

80s. He's in his 80s. He will turn 83 this year, to be exact.

The IMDB is your friend.

[Daracle]

This is a reply to the above from a freidn of mine.
The opions expressed below in no way reflect the opinion of Daracle......


"Gee4orce, this post is about your comments about General Grievous. To
what you said about General Grievous and his hacking cough and his
limping. In the new episodes of the Clone Wars cartoon, Mace Windu
"Force Crushes" his chest before you see him in episode 3. So i am
guessing that would put a damper on anyones day. And about his cloak
that "looks like it's been rendered with software that's 10 years old".
That probably had something to do with the horrible quality of the
movie footage that was all over the Xbox version of the game. But with
all this aside you can't really judge a movie from a total 5-8 minutes
of pixelated movie footage from a video game.


And why would you rip on Dooku jumping off the platform rather than
walking down. He is a force user, is he not, perhaps after walking
down the steps he could invite Anakin and Obi-Wan to a chess match.
The Sith is about intimidation my friend."

[andretan]

Originally Posted by Randman

Never judge a movie and video game of the same name. Never seen one that matches the other.

*cough*The Matrix*cough*

The game sucked.

[andretan]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Gee4orce, did you actually watch the sequence at the end of "Attack of the Clones" where Dooku fights Yoda? They BOTH bounced around like bunnies. There was a lot of "force power" movement from both of them-I just rewatched that segment to make sure.

And if a Jedi-or a Sith, is going to bounce from one place to another, why not do it stylishly?

Personally, I felt that it was one of the most ridiculous scenes in any of the past Star Wars films.

However, many people liked it.

[Gee4orce]

Originally Posted by andretan

Personally, I felt that it was one of the most ridiculous scenes in any of the past Star Wars films.

However, many people liked it.

Yup, I"m with you on that one.

The thing is, the original trilogy was about real people (erm, and Wookies) - but people you could relate to at least. The new trilogy is all about cartoon-esque caricatures with superpowers who can do pretty much what they like (except when the plot requires them to die, which they then do rather easily), teenage queens and flopsy-eared comedy aliens. And the mystical energy field that binds the universe together becomes - erm - a blood infection ?

Oh dear.

I knew Lucas had been smoking the 'funny pipe' again when the Special Editions came out and that droid in Mos Eisley did that 'Nah-nah nah-nah-nah' thing. WTF ? It's gone down hill from there.

There isn't a single lightsaber battle in the prequels that even approaches the feeling of danger and peril in the Vader vs. Luke fight of Ep IV. There's a simple principle in film making, and in literature, that the more you use a device the less effective it becomes. We're so used to seeing lightsabers whizzing about in the prequels that they just loose their feeling of being a badass dangerous weapon.

So, what about the plot holes I mentioned ? Anyone care to explain them away ? Thought not.

All said and done - I agree with the opinions here. I'm a top Star Wars fan and I have had my tickets booked for EpIII for several weeks already. I'll be there on the opening weekend. I'll probably enjoy it too - and I'm not going to let anyone elses opinion change mine. But will it be the film that it should be, the film we deserve for 30 years of loyal fandom ?

Not a chance.

[andretan]

Originally Posted by Gee4orce

I knew Lucas had been smoking the 'funny pipe' again when the Special Editions came out and that droid in Mos Eisley did that 'Nah-nah nah-nah-nah' thing. WTF ? It's gone down hill from there.

[selowitch]

I have the Xbox version of the game and, contra Gee4orce, I think it's a lot of fun. The lightsaber combat is very nicely done (built on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Indiana Jones engines, it would seem) and I feel I got a very good return on my investment.

It's probably that last game I'll buy for the original Xbox, what with the new Xbox being announced tomorrow night!

Originally Posted by ghporter

Gee4orce, did you actually watch the sequence at the end of "Attack of the Clones" where Dooku fights Yoda? They BOTH bounced around like bunnies.

I admit that scene was a little Disney-esque and slightly silly, but it was fine, really. No great harm done.

But those who think that was the nadir, you're all wrong. The worst-scene-ever award DEFINITELY goes to the idiotic music video inserted into the segment in Jabba's Palace for the Special Editions and the DVD release. It was completely out of rhythm with the film, and looked like an outtake from The Muppet Show, for crying out loud. Pathetic.

Originally Posted by Gee4orce

There isn't a single lightsaber battle in the prequels that even approaches the feeling of danger and peril in the Vader vs. Luke fight of Ep IV. There's a simple principle in film making, and in literature, that the more you use a device the less effective it becomes. We're so used to seeing lightsabers whizzing about in the prequels that they just loose their feeling of being a badass dangerous weapon.

You mean Epsiode V, of course.

I agree with you. It does have the effect of diminishing the dramatic impact by making lightsabet combat ubiquitous, with every battle having to top the next (and often failing; Anakin v. Dooku and Obi-Wan v. Dooku were very disappointing. Ewan McGregor has even said so). On the other hand, if there were no lightsaber battles, we'd all be complaining even more than we do now.